Hands-On: Seiko's Best GMT Just Got More Colorful

The Seiko SSK GMT line has slowly taken the watch world by storm, and Seiko took the SKX-style format this year and updated it with a trio of new dial formats. Earlier this year, I wrote a story on what – at the time – was every single existing SKX-style Seiko SSK GMT on the market, but that story is officially out of date.

Before I get any further into this, it makes sense to establish a few things about these watches. First, they were released in 2022, creating a new wave of GMT affordability in the watch world. Why do I keep calling them SKX-style watches? Well, because the case profile is nearly identical to that of the now-discontinued icon, the Seiko SKX.

The Seiko SSK001 and 003 models (the blue- and black-dial versions) are watches that I often suggest to anyone looking for a true "everyday" attainable watch. I even chose it in a video I did with Teddy where we both were tasked with building a collection under $7,000 ( let me know if you think I won).

But enough lede-burying. Let’s get to the newness. In total there were three new variations released: The SSK033 with a blue and black bezel, the SSK035 with a green dial and bezel format, and the SSK036, which brings a black/brown aesthetic to the mix with a leather strap (the other two come on Jubilee-style bracelets).

So let’s start with the SSK033. As an owner of the Rolex GMT-Master II with the blue-and-black bezel, I immediately zeroed in on this one. But where this clearly differs from the Rolex in terms of colorway is with a white dial instead of black. 

This is an interesting take on the "Batman" format and gives me enough of the same kind of satisfaction to be a plausible secondary GMT for me. Key elements are the clean white dial with matching, applied white indexes with black surrounds. I really shouldn’t call the indices matching because in reality they do have a subtle hint of eggshell color or patina where the dial itself is a stark white.

The bezel is split between blue and black and features the standard 24-hour scale and the GMT hand is a glossy blue which can present as a light blue in certain lighting conditions. 

Now we move onto perhaps the most original color formation by way of the SSK035 in green. I say that because there really is not a historical predecessor that springs to mind from any brand that would have inspired this. Seiko is known to use green on a whole host of its watches so it is nice to see it used here. And because it features this combination of sunray green dial with a black-and-green bezel, plus a golden GMT hand (which matches the dial text), this is really the choice for those non-conformists out there.

But then we return to the land of vintage-inspired with the SSK036, upon which Seiko has now crafted its own version of the Rolex "Root Beer" GMT. That means we get a brown-and-black bezel insert, paired with a leather strap (in brown) that just delivers on those old-school vibes. The one unexpected design cue would have to be the use of a red GMT hand. It is, truly, a pop of color.

Each of these watches are mere color changes from the existing line which means all the differences are superficial. Inside, we continue with the 4R34 movement, a "caller" GMT (meaning you can only independently operate the GMT hand) with 41 hours of power reserve. It also means that the “wears smaller than the diameter suggests” 42.5mm case also persists. 

Overall, I like these updates because a popular line of watches deserves to have more options. My favorite is the SSK033 because I am partial to the colorway. Sure, we had something similar with the SSK003, but the white dial really elevates the form in my opinion. The SKX may be gone, but I think these SSK GMT models carry on their mantle as a near perfect, enthusiast-driven, attainable everyday watch. But you have to let me know which dial is your favorite in the comments.